Francie is a twelve-year-old boy with a wild imagination who lives in the small town of Clones, Ireland in the early 1960's. He needs imagination to escape his violent, alcoholic father, depressed mother, and hateful neighbor, Mrs. Nugent. After his mother commits suicide and Mrs. Nugent lies about him to the authorities, he's sent to reform school where he is sexually abused by a priest and his emotional problems peak. When he finally returns home, nothing remains for him except his job as a butcher boy.